Youth in Action: Hanna R. Shares Insights from our Patio Sprouts Series
‘You have a right to healthy food systems:’ Studio.89 opens its Urban garden to the City of Mississauga
Food sovereignty is just an arm’s length away as Studio.89 opens its new vegetable and herb garden to its surrounding community. The non-profit café launched this urban agricultural initiative on May 23rd under the program name Patio Sprouts.
The concept behind Patio Sprouts took root in January—the café’s first attempt to tackle rising grocery prices and boost community engagement. The Social Impact Committee (SIC) led the charge—a volunteer youth group dedicated to developing initiatives that amplify sustainability and foster community. SIC has spearheaded several Studio.89 events, such as art showcases, park cleanups, and a Family Feud Fundraiser, where contestants were tested on issues regarding animal welfare, human rights, and the environment.
“We are showing community members that, yes, we might be struggling with our economy. But if we team up together and grow these things together, then we are able to reduce that stress [of grocery prices] at least slightly,” explained Operations Manager Aryanna Alikhan, who drafted the budget proposal to the City of Mississauga.
Patio Sprouts refers to the garden of basil, spinach, rosemary, pepper, and parsley that the SIC and high school co-op volunteers built and planted on Studio.89’s patio. The café encourages its community to come in and nurture its array of goods, connect with their neighbours, and/or share agricultural knowledge—with the promise that the garden is open for foraging.
“You have to put in that effort to take care of nature in order for nature’s benefits to take care of your body and your health,” Alikhan said, referring to the single requirement needed to pick from the café’s patio.
Alikhan also helped evolve Patio Sprouts into a series of monthly workshops, set to resume on June 14 with a beginner-friendly painting and planting session. Besides promoting community engagement and offering grocery alternatives to the surrounding area, the SIC hopes to teach café-goers about food sovereignty and encourage them to cultivate their own gardens.
“You have a right to healthy food systems, and the need to produce, distribute, and consume your food should be accessible and inclusive,” she said. “Everyone should also have access to a free community space and these programs that help develop them, personally and professionally. So, it goes hand-in-hand with food sovereignty, but also just being part of a community.”
Studio.89 | By: Hanna Rayaan